Safety handle



July 8, 1952 F. D. RINGLER ET AL SAFETY HANDLE Filed July 18, 1951 JNVENToRs.

Patented July 8, 1952 sanary HANDLE Ford D., Ringler,

Flat Rock, vand ElmerW. Irvin, i Detroit, Mich.

Application July 18, 1951, Serial No. 237,408

s claims. (o1. 74-548) This invention relates to safety handles for gas cocks and controls in order to prevent the accidental or undesiredoperation thereof. Considerable difficulty is often experienced in trying to prevent young children from opening the gas cocks of gas stoves, and while various suggestions have'been made heretofore to obviate this 'difficulty, none of them have, so far as we know, gone `into general or extensive use. This invention contemplates a safety handle in which the exposed member is freely rotatable so that any rotation thereof will not open the gas cock. The safety handle embodying our invention includes vprovisions whereby upon axial shifting of such handle against the force of a spring, the handle will be locked to the operating member of the Ygas cock for rotation therewith.

A principal object of the invention, therefore,

(is to provide a novel and efficient safety handle for gas cocks and the like.

Another object of the invention is to-'provide a safetyhandle which is adapted to accommodate valve stems of diiferent lengths and with thefiat on the top or bottom thereof.

Another object of the invention'is to provide a safety handle in which the exposed'portion is normally freely rotatable. p

Y Another object of the invention is to provide a safety handle in which the exposed operating l .member is maintained in a locked position relative to the valve stem when the handle is rotated out of its normal position.

Other and further objects of the invention will Ybe apparent from the following description and claims and may be understood by reference `to the accompanying drawing, of which there isV one sheet, which by way of illustration shows preferred embodiments of the invention and what we now consider to be the best mode in which we have contemplated applying the principles of our invention. Other embodimentsof the inven- 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 and showing the relationship of the parts after the safety handle has been manipulated to open the gas cock;

. Fig. Liis a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but Ytaken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

safety handleis being returned to its normal position;

Fig. 6 is a sectional Vview taken along the linie --Y of` Fig. 5; y Fig."7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form ofthe invention; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line ii-' B of Fig. 7.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and. 2, it will be seen that a safety handle embodying our invention comprises in general a rotary body Iprovded with a socket I2 for receiving the stem I4 of a gas cock or other control. A projecting portion of the socket is slotted as indicated at I6 to accommodate the screw IS which is threadedly secured to a member 20 adapted to seat on the flat 22 of the'stem I4 for securing the safety handle to the stem I4.

VThe safety handle further includesa cup- Y `from each' other, a nut 32threadedly secured on the threaded end of the shaft 26 limitingv the separating movement of the .handle 24 relative to the body I 0.

the abutments 34 but is separated therefrom in 35 ""the released position of the handle as shown in `tion may be used Without departing from the,"

Fig. 1. The plug 38 is threadedl in a threaded hole 4l) in the handle 24.v The handle 24 is axially shiftable vtoward the body I!) to the position yas illustrated in Fig. 3 in which the end of the pini-i6 iis projecting into' one of the holes 34,Iand in this position it will be obvious that rotation of the'handle 24 will rotate the body it since the portions of the body IllV defining the holes 34 lie in the path of movement of the pin 35. Thus, the

'handle 24v and the body l@ 'arelocked against ro- .together it is only necessary to axially. vmove the handle toward the body I0 until the pin 35 pro- Fig. 5 is another View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the relationship of the parts when the body lll-will rotate with the handle 24. Y

Means are provided to maintain the handle 24 in Fig. l.

in its locked position relative to the body IU when the handle and the body are rotated out of their normal positions, that is, rotated to a position to open the gas cock, and such means comprise an annular groove 42 in the handle 24 and a relatively short, circumferentially extending groove" 44 'the'body Il);V tl'ijegrooves n ormally being outbf alignment as" shown'inFigfl. However, upon axial movement of the handle 24 toward the body I the grooves will be aligned. as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

A ball 46 partially disposed in the groove 42 is normally accommodatedin'a notch -48' formed in one wall of the groove 44 in the bodt7 III 'when the handle 24 is in its normal position as shown However, upon movementy of the handle 24 to the position shown in Fig. 3, that is, to its locked position, the grooves 42 and 44 will be aligned, vanclupon rotation of ythe .han-

` handle |24 at such time is free to rotate relative 24 away from thejbody l0. Thusywhen the gas l cock isA open the' handle 24 will be positively coupled to the shaft'I4 for rotation therewith in .both directions.

Upon returning the handle 2 4 and Wthe body |6 to their'normal position,- that is, the closed position of the gas cock, "thefnotch 48 will be re- ,.turnedtoits lowermost position as shown in Fig.

6, but the spring 28 reacting onthe handle 24 and the body Il) will function to hold the ball 46 'clamped between the walls of thegrooves 42 and the body I0, thereby releasing the ball y46 from .the pressure withlwhich it is held between opposite sides of the grooves 42 and 44by the spring 28 and permitting theball 46 to return to its lowermost position opposite thenotch 48, whereby upon release' of the handle`24 the spring 28 will be operative to restore the parts to their normal position as shown in Fig. l. The groove 44 extends a short distance to both sides of the notch 48 so that regardless of the Ydirection in which the "stem'I4 turns to vopen the gas cock from its normal position the same'mocle .0l operation of the safetyh'andle will obtain.

`The body I0 is provided with an index finger 56 which when positioned as illustrated in Fig. 2 indicates the' normal or closed position of the gas cock. In the modication illustrated in Figs.` 7 and 8, instead of using the holes 34 and" the pin 36, the

`body member yI I0, a counterpart of the body ID,

is provided with an axially extending peripheral.

safetyhandle is in the position as showninFigs. f7 and 6 lie'outside of the .'slotsi-VIKIZ Aso that the to the body member I I0. However, upon axial movement of the handle |24 toward the body member III) and against the force of the spring t28, the pins |36 may be projected into the slots I I2 so as to cause the body member I I0 to rotate `with1lthe handle |241`WhileY two pins |36 are rshown, one or more may be employed. The slots ||2 are T-shaped and provided with ramps |31 which cooperate with the pins |316 upon rotation vof the handle |24 in either direction to draw the handle |24 toward the body member III] so that the ball 416 will be free to seek its lowermost position in the grooves 42 and 44 as previously de- Y scribed.

coupled withthe body member I I6, the camming action of the ramps |31 on the pin |36 will hold the handle |24 relative to the body I |6,so that the ball 46 will be free to seek its lowermostposition. Because vofthis, the ball 46 will function to maintain the handle |24 in its locked position with the body member I I0 when the handle and body are out of their normal position, and will also permit the separating movement of the handle |24 and the body I0 when such parts are returned to .their normal position.

While we have illustrated'and described preferred embodiments of our invention, it is understood that these arecapable of modicationand we therefore do not wish to'be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail ourselves fof such changes and alterations as fall within the piirviewof the following claims.

We claim:

l. A safety handle for controls having an opleratingstem, comprising alrotary bodyvhaving a socket in one face thereof vfor receiving said stem and an axially projecting shaft, 'a cu'p shaped handle substantially enclosing said body and mounted on'said shaft for rotational and lamai movement relative to said body, a spring reacting on said vbody and handle for biasing said ihandle and body axially to Aone position relative to each other, said body member being provided with a series of abutments and said handle being provided with a member projecting toward said abutments but separated therefrom in Ysaid one position of said handle and body, said handle being axially shiftable to another position relative to said body and when in said other position `said membery being engageable with one of said abutments for locking said member and vhandle against rotation relative to each other, said han- 'dle and body beingl provided with annula'rly extending grooves which are out of alignment in said oneposition of said handle and body and which in lsaid other position of said handle and body are aligned with onev groove ,surrounding the other and with the grooves presented toward each other, a -ball in the outer groove, one wall of the inner groove having a notch for accommodating said ball when said handle and vbody areV in said one position, and said outer groove being continuous so Ythat in such'one position of said handle and body said ball is free to run 1n said outer groove upon rotation of said handle relative to said body, said inner groove being of limited extent, said ball being operative 'in said other position of said handle and body upon rotation thereof together'from their normal position to lock the same against axial movement relative to each other which would move said member and the abutment engaged thereby out of locking relation.

2. A safety handle for controls having an operating stem, comprising a body having a socket in one face thereof for receiving said stem and an axially projectingshaft, a handle mounted on said shaft for rotational and axial movement .relative thereto, a spring reacting on said body and handle for biasing said handle and body axially to one position relative to each other, said body member being provided with a series of abutments and said handle being provided with a member projecting toward said abutments but separated therefrom in said one position of said handle and body, saidrhandle being axially shiftable to another position relative to said body and when in said other position said member being engageable with one of said abutments for locking said member and handle against rotation relative to each other, said handle and body being provided with annularly extending grooves which are out of alignment in said one position of said handle and body and which in said other position of said handle and body are aligned with one groove surrounding the other and with the grooves presented toward each other, a ball in the outer groove, one wall of the inner groove having a notch for accommodating said ball when said handle and body are in said one position, said outer groove being continuous so that in said one position of said handle and body said ball is free to run therein upon rotation of said handle relative to said body, said ball being operative in said' other position of said handle and body upon rotation thereof together from their normal position to look the same against axial movement relative to each other which Would move said member and the abutment engaged thereby out of locking relation.

3. A safety handle according to claim 2 wherein said abutments comprise a series of axially extending holes in said body and said member comprises an axially extending pin.

4. A safety handle according to claim 2 wherein said abutments comprise a series of slotsl formed in an axially extending flange on said' body and said member comprises a pin carried by said handle.

5. A safety handle according to claim 2 wherein said abutments and member are provided with cooperative camming surfaces operable upon return rotation of said handle and body to their normal position to release said ball from the pressure exerted thereon due to said spring so as to permit said ball to return to its 'normal position at the lowermost portion of said outer groove under the influence of gravity.

6. A safety handle for controls having an operating stem, comprising a body having a socket in one face thereof for receiving said stem, a cup shaped handle substantially enclosing said body and mounted thereon for rotational and axial movement relative thereto, a spring reacting on said body and handle for biasing said handle and body axially to one position relative to each other, said body member being provided with a series of abutments and said handle being provided with a member projecting toward said abutments but separated therefrom in said one position of said handle and body, said handle being axially shiftable to another position relative to said body and when in said other position said member being engageable with one of said abutments for locking said member and handle against rotation relative to each other,V

Y 6 said handle and body being provided with annularly extending grooves which are out of alignment in said one position of said handle and body and which in said other position of said handle and body are aligned with one groove surrounding the other and with the grooves presented toward each other, a ball in the outer groove, one wall of the inner groove having a notch for accommodating said ball when said handle and body are in said one position, said outer groove being continuous so lthat said ball is free to run therein upon rotation of said handle relative to said body, said ball being operative in said other position of said handle and body upon rotation thereof together from their normal position to lock the same against axial movement relative to each other which would move said member and the abutment engaged thereby out of locking relation.

7. A safety handle for gas cocks and the like comprising a body member having provision by means of which it may be secured to the operating member of such gas cock, a handle shiftable axially relative to said body member and rotatably mounted thereon and substantially enclosing said body member, means biasing said handle to one position relative to said body member in which said handle is freely rotatable relative to said body member, locking means operative in another position of said handle relative to said body member for locking said handle against rotation relative to said body member, said handle .and body member being constructed and arranged so that said handle is freely shiftable from said one position to said other position in any rotary position of said handle relative to said body member, and means operative for maintaining said handle in its locked position relative to said body member when said handle and body member are rotated out of their normal position.

8. A safety handle for gas cocks and the like comprising a body member having provision -by means of which it may be secured to the operating member of such gas cock, a handle shiftable axially relative to said body member and rotatably mounted thereon and substantially enclosing said body member, said handle being biased to one position relative to said body member in which said handle is freely rotatable relative to said body member, locking means operative in another position of said handle relative to said body member for locking said handle to said body member for rotation therewith, and means operative for maintaining said handle in its locked position relative to said body member when said handle and body member are rotated out of their normal position, said last mentioned means being vautomatically releasable upon return of said handle and body member to its normal position and comprising cooperating grooves in said body member and handleand a ball member in said grooves.

FORD D. RINGLER. ELMER W. IRVIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 814,301 Kunz Mar. 6, 1906 1,013,878 I -Iiltonv Jan. 9, 1912 1,121,282 Parker Dec. 15, 1914 1,162,935 Lange Dec. 7, 1915 2,501,008 Schramm Mar. 21, 1950 

